Today In Irish History

January 12: TODAY in Irish History:

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Conor Cunneen IrishmanSpeaks presents Snippets of Irish History:  

Conor is a Chicago based Motivational Humorous Business Speaker, Author and History buff.

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1729: Famed orator, statesman and philosopher Edmund Burke is born in Dublin.

Edmund Burke

Burke is rightly praised for his skills as an orator, although his excessively flowery language and exceedingly lengthy speeches (some more than six hours in parliament) would lose listeners very fast today. Today praised as the father of modern conservatism as evidenced by The Edmund Burke Institute for American Renewal, he was never afraid to speak his mind, taking issue with British policies in India, America and Ireland.

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1885; Thomas Ashe is born in Lispoole, Co Kerry. Ashe was a founding member of the Irish Volunteers He joined the Irish Volunteers in 1913 and was involved in the 1916 Rising fighting in Ashbourne where the Irish rebels did have some success.

Thomas Ashe

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READ: The Battle of Ashbourne

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Ashe was released from British custody in June 1917 as were most 1916 volunteers. He quickly got arrested for anti-British activity again and was sentenced to two years jail. When he was refused political status in jail, he went on hunger strike. Aggressive force feeding by his jailers went badly wrong and he died on this day in 1917.

For an Ireland that deeply despised British actions in executing the 1916 leaders, the death of Tom Ashe generated another huge surge of nationalist emotion and anti-British feeling.

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THOMAS ASHE FUNERAL

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While in prison in England, Ashe wrote Let me Carry your Cross for Ireland, Lord

Let me carry your Cross for Ireland, Lord

The hour of her trial draws near,

And the pangs and the pains of the sacrifice

May be borne by comrades dear.

But, Lord, take me from the offering throng,

There are many far less prepared,

Through anxious and all as they are to die

That Ireland may be spared.

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READ: Let me Carry your Cross for Ireland, Lord

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1973: Death of Air Chief Marshal Sir Francis Joseph Fogarty

Fogarty was born in Cork in 1899. Fogarty was one of thousands of Irish who fought in the British forces in World War I where he served as a pilot with 98 Squadron  in the Royal Flying Corps which went on to become the RAF in 1918.

RAFWeb.org provides full details on Fogarty including:

“Born in Cork, Ireland he attended Farran Ferris College in Cork, he gained RAeC Certificate No 5739 on 22 Nov 1917.  He was awarded his DFC for distinguished service during operations in Iraq in 1922.

Following attachment to No 601 Squadron, he moved to Hendon with a Warrant Officer and 19 airman to form an new Auxiliary squadron, No 604 (County of Middlesex).  His career almost came to an end on 17 February 1931, when Wapiti J9096, which he was recovering after a forced landing on Hampstead Heath, stalled and crashed into a house and was written off, fortunately Flight Lieutenant Fogarty walked away.

Retiring in 1957, he eventually became Deputy President of The Air League, a Director of Racal Electronics and President of the British Airport Construction and Equipment Association.  He was also Director-General of the English Speaking Union.”

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Want to learn more about Ireland? See these images and more in the acclaimed For the Love of Being Irish

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This history is written by Irish author, business keynote speaker and award winning humorist IrishmanSpeaks – Conor Cunneen. If you spot any inaccuracies or wish to make a comment, please don’t hesitate to contact us via the comment button.

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